Hey People,
This'll be a quick post, seeing that I am leaving in a few for a friend's house tonight. Tomorrow for Japan is White Day. So you're probably thinking, What's White Day? Well, that's why I am here.
Do you remember a 'holiday' oh so many weeks ago called Single's Awareness Day...which is also known by couples as Valentine's Day? We all know that couples give each other gifts from the heart and new love is brought forth in the forms of flowers and chocolates and....yada yada yada.
Well, in Japan, only the girls give out chocolates to the guys (and female friends because we like giving gifts of chocolates to our friends). Yet, the guys merely have to receive the gifts on Valentine's Day, not give anything. Aren't they so lucky? If the guy has been friend-zoned by the girl (in other words, the girl sees the guy as merely a friend), he will probably get some bite-sized chocolates. But if the girl really likes the guy and wants to let him know her feelings towards him, she may make (or buy) a really special, hand-decorated chocolate....And he just has to receive the chocolate....except....
Along comes March 14, White Day. Noticed that White Day just happens to be exactly one month after Valentine's Day? Well, White Day is the reciprocal of Valentine's Day....in a sense. If the guy received a chocolate from a gal on Valentine's Day, they get one month to prepare a chocolatey gift for that gal who gave him the chocolate.
So, for those single men out there that did not receive any chocolate, they are (in theory) off the hook for White Day. For those who got something special from their sweetheart, they better prepare for White Day! For those who hate Valentine's Day, they better avoid Japan at all cost from January, when all the Valentine's Day stuff comes out, through March, because there is no escaping the packaging and advertisement for Valentine's/White Day!
Until then, Later Peeps!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
3/11. The Date Closest to the Japanese Heart
Hey People,
Here in Japan, it is the early hours of March 11th. 3/11, just like how 9/11 remains ever close to the American hearts, 3/11 is a date that is closest to the hearts of this generation in Japan.
I remember this date very well. Two years ago, I was sitting in front of the t.v. as I got started on my art homework. It was around 12 midnight PST. My mom was flipping through the channels, when she stopped on the local Japanese channel for the LA area. There on the screen was flooding being captured live. The news ticker, which was in English, explained that an earthquake had just hit the north-eastern part on the main island. However, it wasn't until my family and I watched as trucks were being swept down the Japanese streets followed by boats that had been washed ashore that we realized just how big this earthquake was. The final verdict was that the so-called 'Tohoku Quake' was a 9.0 Magnitude on the Richter scale, making it one of the largest recorded quakes worldwide.
I was horrified because, at the time, I was unfamiliar with the location of Tohoku relative to Tokyo and had many friends, both Japanese and American, living in Tokyo at the time. But, my fear was not without reason. The quake was large enough to shutdown transportation in Tokyo for a day, create cracks in the buildings throughout Tokyo, and cause fires and other damages around Tokyo.
Looking around my dorm room, I can find cracks going from floor to ceiling. I often wonder, Are these cracks the scars from the Tohoku Quake? Most likely...they are. Why do I assume that these cracks are scars? Well, nearly 24 hours after the quake struck, I was able to Skype one of my American friends, who was studying abroad at different Tokyo college from mine. He showed me the newly made cracks in his dorm's walls. So I know that these kinds of scars exist. The other reason is that these cracks are in the corners, where I assume most of the stress would be created in the walls.
This is my experience of the Tohoku Quake. While I was across the ocean, in a different land, living in a different culture from the quake victims, I still experienced the quake. However, the fear, confusion and shock I experienced will never measure up to the whirlwind of emotions that Japan and her people experienced that day. Tohoku has been forever changed. Thousands of lives disappeared and towns were destroyed. Having experienced the recovery of 9/11, I know that Japan's wounded heart is still bleeding. As I travel around Tokyo, I see people standing with boxes calling for others to help the Tohoku people to recover.
So as you are going about your day today and tomorrow, say a little prayer for the Japanese, especially for the Tohoku victims. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers this week.
If you are unfamiliar with the Tohoku Quake and its aftereffects, I am linking the Wikipedia article about it.
Edit: I just got linked to this BBC Documentary from one of my German friends, who I met in the US. It is a documentary on the Tohoku Quake highlighting children's experiences. I have yet to watch it. I did start it, but seeing that it is early hours of the morn here in Tokyo, I will have to watch it later.
2nd Edit: I follow an Anime news website called Anime News Network, which gives me anything news semi-related to anime, whether it's a green-lighting of new series or an inspirational charity drive. This particular news article that I am linking it an animation charity project for the Tohoku Quake victims. The charity project is a collaboration of Japanese and International artists and musicians who have created short few-minute-long films, which are being offered on iTunes. Embedded in the articles are the Youtube streams of the first two completed animations. Please at least try to watch them.
3rd Edit: Here's a nifty effort to support Japan's recovery. Japan has a well-loved children's anime character named Doraemon, who's a little cat robot that wields many different inventions. Well, around Tokyo, 100 statues of Doraemon have been erected in support and healing for Japan. Here's the link to the article from Anime News Network about this effort.
Until then, later peeps!
Here in Japan, it is the early hours of March 11th. 3/11, just like how 9/11 remains ever close to the American hearts, 3/11 is a date that is closest to the hearts of this generation in Japan.
I remember this date very well. Two years ago, I was sitting in front of the t.v. as I got started on my art homework. It was around 12 midnight PST. My mom was flipping through the channels, when she stopped on the local Japanese channel for the LA area. There on the screen was flooding being captured live. The news ticker, which was in English, explained that an earthquake had just hit the north-eastern part on the main island. However, it wasn't until my family and I watched as trucks were being swept down the Japanese streets followed by boats that had been washed ashore that we realized just how big this earthquake was. The final verdict was that the so-called 'Tohoku Quake' was a 9.0 Magnitude on the Richter scale, making it one of the largest recorded quakes worldwide.
I was horrified because, at the time, I was unfamiliar with the location of Tohoku relative to Tokyo and had many friends, both Japanese and American, living in Tokyo at the time. But, my fear was not without reason. The quake was large enough to shutdown transportation in Tokyo for a day, create cracks in the buildings throughout Tokyo, and cause fires and other damages around Tokyo.
Looking around my dorm room, I can find cracks going from floor to ceiling. I often wonder, Are these cracks the scars from the Tohoku Quake? Most likely...they are. Why do I assume that these cracks are scars? Well, nearly 24 hours after the quake struck, I was able to Skype one of my American friends, who was studying abroad at different Tokyo college from mine. He showed me the newly made cracks in his dorm's walls. So I know that these kinds of scars exist. The other reason is that these cracks are in the corners, where I assume most of the stress would be created in the walls.
This is my experience of the Tohoku Quake. While I was across the ocean, in a different land, living in a different culture from the quake victims, I still experienced the quake. However, the fear, confusion and shock I experienced will never measure up to the whirlwind of emotions that Japan and her people experienced that day. Tohoku has been forever changed. Thousands of lives disappeared and towns were destroyed. Having experienced the recovery of 9/11, I know that Japan's wounded heart is still bleeding. As I travel around Tokyo, I see people standing with boxes calling for others to help the Tohoku people to recover.
So as you are going about your day today and tomorrow, say a little prayer for the Japanese, especially for the Tohoku victims. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers this week.
If you are unfamiliar with the Tohoku Quake and its aftereffects, I am linking the Wikipedia article about it.
Edit: I just got linked to this BBC Documentary from one of my German friends, who I met in the US. It is a documentary on the Tohoku Quake highlighting children's experiences. I have yet to watch it. I did start it, but seeing that it is early hours of the morn here in Tokyo, I will have to watch it later.
2nd Edit: I follow an Anime news website called Anime News Network, which gives me anything news semi-related to anime, whether it's a green-lighting of new series or an inspirational charity drive. This particular news article that I am linking it an animation charity project for the Tohoku Quake victims. The charity project is a collaboration of Japanese and International artists and musicians who have created short few-minute-long films, which are being offered on iTunes. Embedded in the articles are the Youtube streams of the first two completed animations. Please at least try to watch them.
3rd Edit: Here's a nifty effort to support Japan's recovery. Japan has a well-loved children's anime character named Doraemon, who's a little cat robot that wields many different inventions. Well, around Tokyo, 100 statues of Doraemon have been erected in support and healing for Japan. Here's the link to the article from Anime News Network about this effort.
Until then, later peeps!
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